Control valve mechanism



' Feb. 8,1927.

N. A. CHRISTENSEN CONTROL VALVE MECHANISM Original Filed March-11.9. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheetl M9 SELLA A TTORNEYS.

' Feb. 8, 1927.

. 1,616,606 N. A. cHRlsTENsEN CONTROL VALVE MECHANISM Original Filed March 19, 1921 2 Sheets-SheetB v L 70 F '1go 121 67 @5 66 65 5/ 52 5.5/ IH/H I N VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT' orrlca. N

NIELS A. CHRISTENSEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CONTROL VALVE MECHANISM.

Continuation of application Serial No. 453,798, led March 19. 1921, Patent No. 1,517,533, dated December 2. 1924. This application led May 24, 1924. Serial No. 715,753. l

The invention relates to valve mechanism. The obje'ct of the invention is to provide a valve mechanism, for starting Vsystems for internal combustion engines of the type lshown in my prior United States Letters Patent No. 1,185,874, of June 16, 1916, and No. 1,253,669, of January 15, 1918,v and in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,517 of December 2,`1924;'of which this applicat-ion as to the starter valve mechanism shown therein is a continuation.

'- A further object of the invention is to prothe distributor valve 13 and register with vvide a starter valve' mechanism that may be operated b the foot of the driver, and with 'provision or venting the carburetor chamber so thatthe'pressure therein' may be re-l duced after a starting operation to permit the:.ioat chamber filling up for a subsequentl `starting operation.

The invention further consists in theseveral features hereinafter set yforth andmore- `particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a general view in side. elevation of starting apparatus embodyin'g' the invention as applied to a typical four-cylinder engine, in connection with a magneto, parts being shown in section;

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view .30 ofthe drivers or controlling -valve mecha nismembodying the invention;

Fig. 3 isa partial vertical cross-sectional vview onthe line 3-3 of. Fig. 1, the distributinv valve and valve case being removed.

' eferring to Fig. 1, the apparatus com-I prises a compressor 4, a distributing valve mechanism, a carburetor 5, a compressor governor or controller 6, and a through drive shaft 7 assembled for mounting as a unit in the place `of the usual magneto 8 and driven from the same shaft, as for example, the pump shaft 9 of the engine, with whichthe vdrive shaft is connected at one end, the magneto being connected with the other end of said drive'shaft, and mountedwith the starter unit on the same bracket or base plate 10,'which'may'be adapted for attachment tp engine bases-or frames of different makes or kinds.

addition to saidunit, the apparatus comprises a compressed airl reservoir 11, a drivers valve 12 controlling the connections between the reservoir, compressor, distributing lvalve and compressor governor.

The distributing valve is not shown in detail lment with the shaft 16 associated with the the engine cylinders t herein, as it is fully shown and described in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,517,- 533, hereinbefore referred to, and includes a rotary disk valve member 13 driven from the shaft associated with the drive of the com- 1pressor and cooperating with a seat member l.

13 secured with a cover 14 to the main case section 15, Fig. 3. The seat member 13 is formed wlth a central bore in axial aligncompressor and distributor valve and with ports 17 which cooperate with ports 17 in passages 17" in the lcase section 15, which are each connected by piping 18 with one of rough a check-valve 1 9,like or similar to those described'in'Letters Patent No. 1,185,784. The distributor valve 13 controls the passage of compressed air mixed with fuel from a passage 20 in 4'15. the member 15 alined with a passage 21 in the case section 15 to the ports 17, Fig. 1. The distributor valve 13 is. preferably 'mounted on a short shaft 16 driven by the shaft 16 but having a sli ht longitudinal 80 movement to -relieve theva ve 13 of wear. Thel drive shaft16 is driven from the shaft 9 by gear 23 on' the shaft 7 meshing with a gear 24 on the shaft- 16 and this shaft 16 drives the compressorwhen permitted to do so by the governor mechanism, moreparticularly shown and described in the afore` mentioned application Serial No. 453,7 98.

The carburetor includes la fuel chamber 25, here shown as formed in the main case section 15,*though it may be separate therefrom, said chamber being supplied with'fuel from.. a float chamberv 26 through a pipe 27 l x The passage 21 is connected to the drivers valve by a pipe 28 and a two-way fitting 29 95 which is also connected b a pipe 30fto the compressor governor mec anism. The passage 21 communicates adacent its outer end with the upper part of the chamber 25 through a passage 31, as shown in Fig. 3, the 100 passage 21 -being slightly restricted as compared with the bore for the fitting 29 so that the liquid fuel in the carburetor chamber will be subjected to a slightly higher pressure lthan prevails in the passage 21 when com- 105 The nozzle is inserted in place and may be reached for inspection and for removing any obstruction therefrom, through an opening 1n the case vsection 15 into the passage 2l opposite the nozzle, which opening is normally closed by a cap-screw 33.

The connection between the float chamber 26 and the pipe 27 lis provided with a checkvalve 34, closm toward the oat and having its stem guided. in a cage 35, which is removably threaded in the bottom ofthe float chamber and formed at the lower end with a valve seat, the valve being held in place and its movement limited by a nut or 'collariXed on-the upper end 0f the valve lstem and slotted on its lower side to allow lfuel to pass from said chamber 26 around" the stem and to the pipe 27.

'.lheftop `or upper part of the Hoat'chamber is connected b a pipe 36 with a fuel supply tank 37 an this pipe is provided, as shown in Fig. 1, with a shut-oh cock 38.

As shown,- the pipe' 36 connects with a removable cover 39 of the float chamber in which is threaded a removable valve cage and seat 40 provided with a cut-0E valve 41 having a stem projecting downwardly into the upper part of the oat chamber and en-v .vfa eable with the. Heat 42. rllhe valve is 3o D he d in place in the cage when .the cover is removed and its movement is limited by a screw 43 threaded in the lower part of the v cage with its head in position to engage with v time by removing the cover 39 and taking' outthe cage 40.

The cover 39 is provided with a vent 4opening 46 to the atmosphere, and overow therefrom indicates trouble with the valve 41. y

. With the construction of carburetor herein described, it will be noted that when compressed air -is introduced into the mixin assage 21 and pressure is put upon the fue 1n the carburetor chamber 25, that vthe lcheck-valve 34 will close and thus shut oli the Heat chamber during a starting opera- I ou tion.A When the compressed air is not flowing through the passage 21'provisio n has been made for reducing the pressure 1n the fuel chamber 25 to atmosphere so that the arts will function fuel chamber with loat chamber and its normally to supply sai fuel.

The drivers or controlling. valve 12, as

. foot.

.shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a casing 50 formed with a flange 51 for fastening it to the foot-board of a truck or car and 'provided with ports 52, 53 and 55 to which the pipes 56, 57 and 28 are connected.' The pipe 56 connects said valve structure with the reservoir 11 and the pipe 57 connects the discharge side of the compressor 4 with said valve casing.

The valve case is also formed with a valve .chamber 58 and inwardly `directed seats at opposite ends thereof, and is provided with. valves 59 and 60, guided therein by recessed heads or enlargements 61 of their stems, and adapted to close in opposite directions against the seats, to which they are normally held by a spring 62 interposed between the headed parts of their stems. The valve 59 controls passage of airv from the compressor through pipe 57, chamber 58, port 52 to the pipe 56 and the valve 60 controls the passage of compressed' air from the reservoir through pipe 56, port 52, chamber 58 to'a passage-63 and port 55 which connects with the pipe 28 conducting compressed air to the carburetor and to the pipe supplying compressed air to the lgovernor. A push-pin .64, guided in a nut 65 removably'threaded in the upper end of the valve case, is adapted to open the valve 60. The

push-pin is flattened or formed with an air vent passage 66 on one side, and the upper end of the pin is formed or provided with a reliefvalve 67, tted to seat on a seat 68 onthe upper end of the nut toshutvoE passage of air through said vent when closed.

A push-button 69 for operating the pushpin 64 to open the valve 60 and close the, valve 67 is guided in a cap 70, which is removably threaded on the upper end of the case 50 above the flange 51. The cap is provided with a vent opening 71.v

The lower part of the valve case containing the valve 59 is made ina separate section, which is threaded intoor otherwise dctachably fastened to the body of the case for convenience inconstructionl and assemblav ot parts of the device. ,n

i the operation of the apparatus, the reservoir 11 being charged with compressed air a't a pressure, say of 225 pounds per square inc to start the engined the operator presses the pushbutt0n 69 down with his rllhe push-pin 64 being thus thrust' downward opens the valve 60 and closes the valve 67. Cdmpressed air is thus admitted from the reservoir through the pipe 56 into .the passage 21 from which it passes to the distributor mechanism, -more particularly shown in said United States Letters Patent No. 1,517,533; by which it is introduced in- `to the engine cylinders mixed with the liquid fuel it has taken from the chamber 25 while passing the nozzle 32 in said pasllo passage 21- some of it'passes to the pipe 30` and acts on the governor mechanism, more particularly shown and described vin Asaid Ratent No. 1,517,533, which then establishes a drive between the engine and the compressor, and air is delivered by the compressor through pipe 57 past valve 59 to the reservoir for subsequent starting operations or for use in the operation of the `air brakes associated with the vehicle.

yIf it is desired at any time, in'caseco1n pressed air is required for other purposes lthan starting, for instance,"for thev operation of air brakes, the vcompressor can be started when the engine is running to replenish the reservoir, by simply depressing the push-button 69 of the drivers valve.

The carburetor A chamber 25 is kept sup` plied with fuel automatically through. the float chamber 26, in which a substantially constant level is maintained by the `float 42 closing the valve 4:1 when the fuelrises in the float chamber above a certain lever, and

permitting the valve to open by gravity when the fuel descends below that level.

`When the distributing mechanism yolf the apparatus is not operating and the fuel in the carburetor chamberis not subjected to pressure, the level of the fuel therein will be the same as that in the float chamber 26 and remain at that leveLbut when pressure is admitted to the carburetor chamber it will be transmitted through the Yoil therein and through the connection between it and the oat chamber and will close the checkvalve 34 which will remain closed, resulting in the loweringof the fuel level in the carburetor chamber by reason of fuel being drawn therefrom by the operation of the starter. until the pressure'is released from the carburetor' vchamber 25, which occurs when theoperator lets the push-button 69 return to its upper position, permitting valve 67 to open. and valve 60 to close, and the air under pressure in the chamber 25 and passage 21 flows back through pipe 28 to passage 63 through vents 66 and 71 to atinosphere` whereupon the fuel will rise in the chamber 25 to the levelof that in the float chamber. The descent of` the fuel level in the float chamber, causing the float to depressure required for the operation of the starting apparatus and the admission of air to the'fuel supply line.

From the foregoing. description it will be noted that the starter valve mechanism herein described establishes communication between the starter unit and the reservoir, be l tween the compressor ,and -the reservoir, and between the carburetor chamber and atmosphere whenl the. starter is not operating.

It will be. further noted that this valve structure exemplifies a construction which a normally closed inlet valve 6() and a normally open relief valve 67 'arel provided, and that the relief valve is closed andheld closed by the operator upon the opening of the inlet valve, which construction is not necessarily limited inits use to a starting system. By the term @manually operated I mean either by the footor hand of the operator.

I desire it to be understood that this invcntion'is not to be limited to any specific form or arrangement of'partsexcept in so far as such limitations are specified iny the claims or necessitated by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In engine-starting apparatus using compressed air, the combination with the compressor driven by the engine and a reservoir, of a starter valve controlling the int passage of air from the reservoir tothe starter mechanism, a valve controlling the assafre of air from the `com ressor to the 2. In ,engine-starting apparatus using compressed air, the combination with the compressor driven by the engine and la reservoir, of a starter valve controlling the passage of air from the reservoir to the starter mechanism, a valve controlling the passage of air from the compressor to thc reservoir, aspring' interposed between said valves to normally close theA same, Aand meansincluding a push-button, under the control of the operator for. opening the starter valve.

3. Vlln engine-starting apparatus using compressed air and a pressure feed carburetor, the combination with the carburetor and the compressed air reservoir, of a. casing, an inlet valve in said casing controlling the passage of air from the reservoir to the carburetor, a push-pin for'operating said valve cooperating with said casing to form a re-A lief passage and provided with avalve to closesaidrelief passage when opening said inlet valve, and means for moving said pin.

ln testimony whereof, india my signature.

NELS A. HRlSTENSEN.

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